Floyd Mayweather - "MMA is nothing more than a sideshow act"

Floyd Mayweather will be going head to head against the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) with his scheduled bout against Mexican boxing sensation Juan Manuel Marquez on September the 19th. Mayweather looks to prove the point that Boxing is still the king of combat sports, fighting on a night that coincides with a UFC PPV event. This battle between boxing and the UFC was by design as Mayweather chose to have his fight on the night of UFC 103. Saturday night serves as a major indicator of whether boxing can compete against the UFC any longer. Mayweather is beyond confident it can.

Obviously shaken, and left with a feeling that UFC PPV buys will suffer – The President of the UFC Dana White released a video earlier this week in attempt to persuade Mixed Martial Arts fans to purchase UFC 103 rather than the Mayweather/Marquez ppv. Mayweather, never one to back down in a war of words, addressed the issue at a pre-fight press conference in L.A early this week, When asked how he feels about going head to head with ‘UFC 103 Franklin vs. Beflort’ Mayweather dismissed it as a threat:

“Who’s Rich Franklin? There’s 8 year old kids just starting out in my gym who punch better than that guy. I’ve seen that guy try to punch and felt sorry for him, embarrassed for him – I think Roger [Mayweather] still has some spaces left in the beginners class, might want to get the basics down before he goes head to head with me. I mean come on, until he generates a revenue of 2.5 million he don’t even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Floyd Mayweather let alone be trying to compete with me. What you’re getting here is two of the best pound for pound fighters in the world going at it to determine who is number one, what they got there is two journeymen, bar room fighters who can’t tell a fish hook from a check hook.”

Mayweather was also asked to give his thoughts on how he feels the striking abilities of some of the premier strikers in MMA, such as Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, might match up against the upper echelon heavyweight boxers.

“I think he forgot he has a right hand, give him a pair of 12 ounce gloves and Vlad Klitchko would tear up that ass in seconds. Look, I just watched an ex-UFC heavyweight champ, some overweight unathletic chump get one punched by an over the hill broken boxer, Mercer. Don’t get me wrong, I love Big Ray but his best days are behind him and he one punched an ex-champ, what more do I need to say? Just imagine what happens if a heavyweight contender lays hands on a MMA fighter. We both know what the aftermath will look like.”

While this will be the first time a major boxing event clashes with a UFC event, Mayweather insists that this will not be the first time he has beaten the UFC in terms of ratings.

“Look, I already went head on with the UFC in my fight against[Ricky] Hatton, we all know how that turned out and the same is gonna happen again on September 19th. I’m gonna give the people at home something to talk about the next day; everyone is going to be talking about the Floyd Mayweather fight that was on last night. Ain’t gonna be no one talking about those two guys who rolled around on the floor for 3 rounds. That’s why I was and still am the PPV king. ”

Mayweather even went as far to discredit MMA as a real sport calling it a ‘sideshow act’ and detailed the disparity in terms of pay between the two combat sports.

“The main difference between Boxing and MMA is the fact that boxing is a real sport and requires skill to reach the top. When you watch boxing you know you ain’t [going to] see some WWE clown walk in and take the belt after a couple fights. It ai’nt happening. That’s because it takes years to perfect and master the sweet science, MMA is nothing more than a sideshow act that probably won’t even be around in 10 years time. Boxing ain’t going anywhere, write that down. If so many people want to watch those guys fight then why isn’t Dana White paying them like it?"

Typical PBF rhetoric prior to one of his bouts. What's funny is that he gets more press for talking trash about MMA than he does for his fighting abilities. Apparently, he actually believes in the popularity of MMA or he wouldn't use this tactic time and time again.

teddythetuna

9/15/09 1:39:52PM

When Floyd fights Pacquiao then he can say the two best pound for pound fighters. Juan is great but Manny would eat him alive at this point and i think he would crush PBF as well. Thats if Mayweathers head could actually fit inside the building. Man what an ego

KaibaThedon

9/15/09 1:53:59PM

I really wish someone would shut this guy up once and for all.

He's a joke.

xdanish020

9/15/09 2:15:11PM

Typical PBF ignorance especially in his reference to Brock Lesnar....guess he never did his research and don't know he's a D1 National Wrestling Champ.

I hope the UFC squashes Boxing on the 19th. Mayweather will never fight someone who can seriously hurt him, which is why he is fighting a smaller fighter in Marquez. Put Mayweather up against Pacman or Cotto and let's see how it goes down.

postman

9/15/09 2:33:10PM

I like how he says its to decided the best Pound for pound fighter in the world....It isn't even to decide the best P4P boxer let alone fighter. I would love to see K1 rules match between a top striker in MMA and a Top boxer at least its middle of the road. Try doing your little shoulder roll with a shin coming towards your head.

Sinister

9/15/09 3:06:45PM

Why even quote this guy on MMA anymore? We know he disrespects it and says anything about it to get attention.

Jesse_Canadian_MMA

9/15/09 3:56:17PM

unfortunately I dont think franklin-vs-Belfort will have what it takes to compete with this one :( I mean I'll be watching ufc, boxing on its own, i'm not interested in it but I recognize it a important part of mma and would never trash talk it but I wish clowns like Mayweather could recognize that wrestling, muay thai, jj, karate are also important skills, when mastered are equally deadly in sports and in life.

cause granted on the feet, yeah hes dangerous but if he fights franklin and it got to the ground, then what? I think we all know what that outcome would be

and damn brock lesnar is hurting us lol

McBee

9/15/09 3:59:08PM

I just watched the Bob Arum rant on the Videos tab, no wonder boxing is dying they have promoters that are undercuttering one of the biggest names and if you listen to the whole video a pretty flagrant racist. He acts like the fan base is great because it is diverse and then he starts in at the end who Latinos, Puerto Ricans and blacks do not buy PPVs. If what this guy says is true about Mayweather why is anyone buying the boxing match on saturday?

MaxOne

9/15/09 3:59:19PM

wasn't he invovled in some fake wrestling soap opera stuff? that's wack that he talks trash about it but is right there to take advantage of it if it works in his his favor. that is selloutish. He did have a great example with Tim Sylvia and Ray Mercer though :) Tim has another fight coming up. I wonder if he'll try to be in shape this time.

machodog76

9/15/09 4:18:54PM

Most of the negative comments leveled against mma(its's a side show, too violent, not a real sport, inhumane, etc.) were used to discredit boxing in it's early days. There's a realy good book that speaks to this called ,"A flame of pure fire" It's about Jack Dempsy but it's also an interesting history of boxing, which in it's begining faced many of the same problems as mma has in recent times.

NeaRMisS

9/15/09 4:23:19PM

I will be watching the UFC but I really REALLY dont think the UFC, and this card can compete with mayweather. Belfort + Cro Cop aren't big enough names in the states to make some of the newer mma fans to watch it over Mayweather.

jlock003

9/15/09 4:37:44PM

I wonder how Nate Quarry feels about Rich's punching power???

Brain_Smasher

9/15/09 5:11:39PM

"I like how he says its to decided the best Pound for pound fighter in the world....It isn't even to decide the best P4P boxer let alone fighter. I would love to see K1 rules match between a top striker in MMA and a Top boxer at least its middle of the road. Try doing your little shoulder roll with a shin coming towards your head."

Well we have seen K1 fighters, even the poor ones, fight boxers i K1. The boxers get tooled really bad. Cyril Abidi vs Botha, Mighty Mo vs Botha, etc. Mercer got killed as did Butterbean. K1 brought in smaller weight boxers to fight in K1 max and they got killed also. They were top 10 boxers not long before that. Even some top ranked Japanese boxers got in and got killed.

The gap between K1 striker and MMA strikers isnt that great. There have been MMA fighters cross over and win fights verses K1 regulars. Gary Goodrich KOed Mike Bernardo, Tom Erickson who has a wrestler base KOed Jan Norte. Don Frye has won there and i believe Rampage won in K1.

scpd400

9/15/09 5:24:18PM

I have never heard of Rich Franklin trash talk anyone. He is respectful and deserves respect. Franklin and Mercer in an MMA match and then a boxing match. Lets see who comes out on top.

Brain_Smasher

9/15/09 5:55:55PM

Franklin should have showed up at FMJs press conference and threw down a challenge. Daring Floyyd to fight in the UFC. It would have draws press to Rich's own event and made Floyyd back down like a bitch. Floyyd is doing this just for the press. He dont really feel that way about MMA. He knows he couldnt cross over too. But he is talking to promote his fight. Calling out MMA is getting him PPV buys from people who follow both sports and gets the boxing fans who feel threated by MMA to buy his fight even if they dont like him and normally wouldnt buy his fight. They feel they are buying it for the sake of boxing. Its funny how weak minded people get doped into buying things for stupid reasons. Mayweather is just tricking people to line his pockets.

StorminYourman

9/15/09 6:01:42PM

Floyd Mayweather=

Giant_Ochai

9/15/09 6:03:49PM

I'll be ordering Mayweather/Marquez.

MaxOne

9/15/09 7:09:26PM

i'll be ordering the ufc and watching boxing when it airs again for free...when ever that is.

FrankTheTank1181

9/15/09 8:44:59PM

The only reason these boxing guys are talking trash about MMA is because they realize it is a real threat to their sport. If they weren't threatened by it they wouldn't say a word.